By BW Hotelier HILTON CHENNAI has appointed Amit Kumar as the new General Manager. In this new role, he will supervise seven departments including Front Office, Housekeeping, Engineering, Food & Beverage Services, Kitchen, and Hygiene & Security. With over 17 years of experience in the hospitality industry in India, Kumar worked with Taj Hotels Resorts & Palaces, The Leela Palaces, Hotels & Resorts and Starwood Hotels & Resorts. He joined Hilton Worldwide in July 2014, taking charge of operations for Hilton Chennai.
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By BW Hotelier THE FRENCH Foreign Trade Advisors (CCEF), in association with the Indo French Chamber of Commerce (IFCCI) and Business France, celebrated the third edition of the ’CSR Impact Prize’. The ’CSR Impact Prize’ is open to all French companies and organizations operating in India that engage in socially responsible programs. AccorHotels, Cap Gemini and Total were awarded for initiatives that respectively touched Environment, Education and Social issues. The objective was to cover the major domains of CSR, in a manner that would be relevant to the Indian context. The winner were unanimously elected among 21 entries. The jury included members from The Indo French Chamber of Commerce, Business France, Embassy of France and French Trade advisors. In the category of Education: AccorHotels for their program ’Accor Centre for HOPE’ to provide employability skills to socially and economically challenged young adults. In the past two years, The Accor Centre of Hope has successfully trained 103 students. In the category Social: Capgemini for their program ’WeKare’, a platform for employees to get directly involved in the social activities. Currently has more than 1300 employee volunteers and 100 core team members across India. In the category Environment: Total Oil India for its CSR project of Rain Water Harvesting. ’CSR over the years has not only become a focus for French companies but also for the French government who promotes it through the French Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy. In 2012, it published its National Sustainable Development Strategy, a document that gives all French actors of the economy a common platform to harmonize their initiatives. In the context of the organization of COP21 in France by end 2015, this award is a particular symbol of French implication,’ H.E. Francois Richier, Ambassador of France in India, told the gathering. Photo Caption: Ashwin Shirali -Regional Director HR for AccorHotels, (with bouquet) India receiving the ’CSR Impact Prize’ by the French Foreign Trade Advisors (CCEF), in association with the Indo French Chamber of Commerce (IFCCI) and Business France for Accor Centre of HOPE initiative.
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By Bikramjit Ray WE GOT a peek at the soon to open Pullman and Novotel Hotels at New Delhi’s Aerocity Complex (November 1, 2015 says the official announcement) and had a chance to speak to the general manager of both hotels, Tristan Beau de Lomenie (see photo). We began by asking him how it felt to be finally on the verge of opening. ’This project is so exciting. There is so much positive energy and potential here. We know we have the right product for the Delhi market because we have the best MICE and conference venue in the city. We have great variety when it comes to food and beverage, so it’s definitely a project that is a right fit for the NCR market,’ he told us, explaining why the wait was worth it. Tristan had joined the project two years ago with a projection to begin operations in eight months. He and his staff have stuck it out and their dedication will be reflected in the quality of the new products. ’This project is an old one, we always had in mind to open both the Novotel and the Pullman together with the ibis, they complement each other,’ he added giving the example of the Airbus A380 with its different classes flying together. ’Every hotel will complement each other, especially during big conventions, where you may get over 1000 delegates,’ Tristan said. ’We have had plenty of time to start our sales and November is looking good,’ he told us, adding that the property has been getting visits from clients for the last six months. ’I am not saying it’s going to be easy, it will take time. I would say it will take two years for this area to be mature enough to sustain and to have great occupancy. When I see what our competitors are doing, I get very confident,’ he told us commenting on the prospects ahead for the hotel. The special opening rate for the Pullman is Rs 10000 ++ and for Novotel it is Rs 7000 ++, he added. I was also given a peek into both properties by Alaa Afifi, the Deputy General Manager of both properties. The Pullman will be opening 99 of its rooms, each 36 square metres; while the Novotel will be opening 207 of their rooms which measure 26 square metres, come November. F and B in the Pullman is in the form of Pluck the modern day eatery with 110 covers; Honk which -serves Asian inspired street food and has 112 covers; Pling, the 60 cover lounge at the lobby level; and the 50 cover Caf- Pluck which is a delicatessen and patisserie. Novotel offerings will be The Food Exchange it’s all day dining restaurant; Quoin the bar at the lobby level; plus a Crew Lounge and Pooldeck. All the outlets are accessible by guest of both hotels. The banqueting facilities, which are all at the Pullman though accessible by all guests, include the Peacock Ballroom which is spread over 12,719 square feet and 13 breakout rooms which add up to an impressive 40,000 square feet. Tristan said in conclusion that he expected both units to run at full capacity (Pullman 270 rooms and Novotel 400 rooms) by August 2016. The author is Executive Editor of BW Hotelier.
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By BW Hotelier ACCORDING TO Global Hotel Performance results for the Asia Pacific region for August 2015 by STR Global, Mumbai, India, saw double-digit growth in occupancy (+11.8 per cent to 72.7 per cent) and RevPAR (Revenue Per Available Room ) +10.4 per cent to Rs 4,864.69. ADR (Average Daily Rate) in the market dropped 1.2 per cent to Rs 6,688.11. Occupancy and RevPAR have increased year-over-year in Mumbai for each of the first eight months of 2015, and the 72.7 per cent occupancy level was an August record. Performance results in the market were affected positively as the India International Jewellery Show shifted from July in 2014 to August of 2015. Hotels in the Asia Pacific region experienced positive results in the three key performance metrics when reported in US dollar constant currency. Compared to August 2014, the Asia Pacific region reported a 1.3 per cent increase in occupancy to 72.7 per cent, a 1 per cent rise in average daily rate to USD 109.21 and a 2.3 per cent increase in revenue per available room to USD 79.41. Global Hotel Review_August 2015
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By BW Hotelier STERLING HOLIDAY Resorts Limited, has won a bid to build a 3-star resort property at the proposed eco-tourism hub in Jalpaiguri, West Bengal. The company plans to build a 50-70 room eco-resort spread over a three-acre land with an investment of about Rs 25-30 crore. The resort will be built at Gajoldoba, the eco-tourism hub planned by Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee in Jalpaiguri. With the government of West Bengal having invested Rs 100 crore in building infrastructure of the hub, all interior and arterial roads, power stations for supply of electricity and drainage systems are expected to be in place soon. Ramesh Ramanathan, Managing Director, Sterling Holiday Resorts Limited, (see photo) said, ’Sterling Holidays is enthusiastic about the opportunity to work with the West Bengal government to establish one of the country’s largest eco-tourism hubs. Keeping with Sterling’s commitment to bringing new destinations to India’s holiday travellers and to building eco-resorts, we are happy to be a part of this initiative as a key stakeholder.’ The eco-tourism hub is in Gajoldoba, on the bank of Teesta River in Jalpaiguri district offering a picturesque view of Mount Kanchenjunga. The resort site is located opposite a huge marshland which is a nesting place for migratory birds and is surrounded by mountains which form the hillstations of Kalimpong, Lava, Lolegaon and Bhutan on its eastern and southern borders respectively. In the west lies the Baikanthapur National forest. The site is situated 25kms from Siliguri and 40kms from Bagdogra Airport.
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By BW Hotelier LE M-RIDIEN Hotels & Resorts opened its first resort property, Le M-ridien Mahabaleshwar Resort & Spa in India. Le M-ridien Mahabaleshwar Resort & Spa is the brand’s ninth property in the country, further strengthening the Paris-born brand’s presence throughout India. Nestled in the scenic Western Ghats, the resort is a few hours’ drive from Mumbai and Pune. The property is owned by BrahmaCorp and managed by Starwood Hotels & Resorts. ’Le M-ridien and India share a passion for culture, the arts and cuisine. As our first Le M-ridien resort in India, we look forward to inviting our creative and curious minded travelers to unlock the destination through our locally-inspired programming, culinary creations and of course, relaxation,’ said Brian Povinelli, Global Brand Leader, Le M-ridien and Westin. Le M-ridien Mahabaleshwar Resort & Spa features 122 guestrooms and suites, all complemented with private balconies that offer expansive views of the surrounding natural scenery. Each room features the brand’s signature amenities and destination-inspired moments of discovery.- The brand’s reinterpretation of the traditional lobby, the signature Le M-ridien Hub, transforms the public space into a social gathering place. Guests are greeted by a 24-hour curated soundtrack by French Bossa Nova band Nouvelle Vague, exclusive illy coffee prepared by Master Baristas, and Sparkling cocktails, inspired by Europe’s aperitif hour. For F&B options includes Latest Recipe, the interactive all day dining restaurant, features an evocative mix of international, Asian and local cuisine; Chingari, the Indian specialty restaurant, offers some of the most diverse flavours and fiery preparations of Northern India; the pool-side restaurant, Plunge Bar, allows guests to savour canap-s and sublime blends and spirits, while Longitude 73 transforms from a casual coffee house by day to a vibrant social scene in the evening. ’We are pleased to unveil the spectacular Le M-ridien Mahabaleshwar Resort & Spa, a highly anticipated addition to our India portfolio,’ said Dilip Puri, Managing Director India and Regional Vice President South Asia, Starwood Hotels & Resorts. ’ Other resort facilities include the Explore Spa by Le M-ridien with eight treatment rooms including a hammam bath treatment room. The resort houses a fitness centre, a rooftop infinity pool and 250 square metres of banqueting space including a ballroom, four versatile meeting rooms and a well-appointed business centre.
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By BW Hotelier Chef Matteo Arvonio has been appointed as the Specialty Chef at Mezzo Mezzo at JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu. With almost 23 years of culinary experience, Chef Arvonio brings with him a deep-rooted love for Italian flavors and authentic cooking styles, to pamper the Indian palate with. Under his current mandate, he will be responsible for handling operations, staffing, training, developing new concepts at Mezzo Mezzo. Chef Arvonio has been trained across the globe at various reputed hotels such as the Four Seasons Hotel in Shanghai (Head Chef), Doha, Maldives and Mumbai; Grand Hotel San Pietro in Italy; Restaurant ’Emporio Armani Caf’- in Munich and also luxury hotels in London, Denmark and Switzerland. Chef Arvonio is a perfectionist and loves to cook authentic food and work with Italian flavors. He strongly feels that one can learn a lot from going to temples and seeing the beauty of nature, but cuisine really reveals a lot about culture.
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RAJEEV MENON, Chief Operating Officer, Asia Pacific (Excluding Greater China), Marriott International (see photo) spoke exclusively to BW Hotelier during the launch of the Renaissance Hotel in Lucknow about the group’s plans in India and what the future looks like.
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THE FIRST phase of 100 luxury villas at the Blue Ocean Resort and Spa in Ganapatipule, -Maharashtra, turned operational with the property opening 55 villas and suites for reservation. The resort owned by Mumbai-based Omkar Properties and managed by The Pebbles, is spread across 80 acres.
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CHOICE HOTELS International, Inc has introduced a new identity that is rolling out worldwide. The refreshed brand positioning and new identity builds off of Choice Hotels' 75 year legacy as a gateway to a portfolio of brands. It also reflects the new direction and growth of the company as it realizes opportunities with business travelers across the portfolio, particularly in the upscale segment, and among millennials.
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